Authors: Islay Davies, Marta Indulska, Michael Rosemann, Peter Green, Stan Gallo
Tags: 2005, conceptual modeling
Much research has been devoted over the years to investigating and advancing the techniques and toolsused by analysts when they model. As opposed to what academics, software providers and their resellerspromote as should be happening, the aim of this research was to determine whether practitioners stillembraced conceptual modeling seriously. In addition, what are the most popular techniques and tools usedfor conceptual modeling? What are the major purposes for which conceptual modeling is used? The studyfound that the top six most frequently used modeling techniques and methods were ER diagramming, dataflow diagramming, systems flowcharting, workflow modeling, UML, and structured charts. Modeling tech-nique use was found to decrease significantly from smaller to medium-sized organizations, but then toincrease significantly in larger organizations (proxying for large, complex projects). Technique use was alsofound to significantly follow an inverted U-shaped curve, contrary to some prior explanations. Addition-ally, an important contribution of this study was the identification of the factors that uniquely influence thedecision of analysts to continue to use modeling, viz., communication (using diagrams) to/from stakehold-ers, internal knowledge (lack of) of techniques, user expectations management, understanding modelsÕinte-gration into the business, and tool/software deficiencies. The highest ranked purposes for which modelingwas undertaken were database design and management, business process documentation, business processimprovement, and software development.Read the full paper here: https://reader.elsevier.com/reader/sd/pii/S0169023X05000911?token=D14CA8EC9389A4813161FEA76BD8C50C7FD968E769E7279D418A37D27CF3E32F3F0F1D3EAE313C58ABB4387A5FA47345
